Burpple - The Essential Hawker Guide in Singapore

8 Hawker Centres, 24 Stalls, this guide features 3 of the most popular stalls in each of these hawker centres. Showcasing all the local favourites - chicken rice / Hokkien mee / wanton mee / chwee kueh / yong tau foo / fishball noodles. This is THE essential hawker guide, time to feast away! . This article was originally published on burpple.com.

For Homemade Yong Tau FooWinner of Singapore Hawker Master (Yong Tau Foo) in 2012, this place definitely lives up to its name. It's one of the few places that stuffs yong tau foo pieces with their homemade fish paste, guaranteeing freshness and none of that factory-made stuff. The major draw of this place is their superb stock prepared with ikan bilis, and the generous amount of fried ikan bilis that comes with your noodles. Be prepared to queue, as with all hawker stalls serving authentic, heartwarming food. Xiu Ji Ikan Bilis Yong Tau Foo. #02-87/88, Chinatown Complex Market Mon - Sun: 0545 - 1500

For Flavourful Claypot RiceIf you want claypot rice that's a cut above the rest, this is it. Cooked upon order, you'll get great traditional claypot rice cooked over charcoal, and the wait can stretch up to an hour. Tender chicken meat, salted fish, lup cheong, charred rice bits, excellent sweet sauce and chilli? Check. This is one of the best places you can get claypot rice at in Singapore, but don't go when you're ravenous because you might get really hangry! Lian He Ben Ji Claypot Rice #02-198/199, Chinatown Complex Market Tel: 62272470 Mon - Wed: 1600 - 2300 Fri - Sun: 1600 - 2300 Closed on Thu

For Famed Fish SoupHan Kee Fish Soup is one of the two popular fish soup stalls in Amoy Street Food Centre. Needless to say, you have to brave the queue to enjoy superb fish soup. They are far from stingy with the fish, and you can tell that the fish is really fresh - delightfully tender with no fishy smell. Without the addition of MSG, the incredibly tasty soup is rich with the pure goodness of fish stock that can only be achieved from a lengthy process of boiling fish bones. Health-conscious foodies will take delight in this! Han Kee Fish Soup #02-129, Amoy Street Food Centre Mon - Sat: 1000-1500 Closed on Sun

For Huge Ba ZhangWrapped in pandan leaves and stuffed with a generous amount of ingredients, Hoo Kee sure makes one of the best rice dumplings. They're huge because they're packed with whole chestnuts and lean pork. If you're feeling extravagant, go for the one with the salted egg. If not, try the one with mushrooms! The glutinous rice is fragrant, moreish, and perfectly cooked. This is one kickass ba zhang. And no, it doesn't have to be dragon boat festival for you to enjoy these. Hoo Kee Rice Dumplings #01-18, Amoy Street Food Centre Mon - Sat: 0900 - 1500 Closed on Sun

For Bomb Pork Rib NoodlesThe aunty here is really like the grandmother who makes sure you're well-fed. Exceedingly generous with ingredients, this stall keeps people coming back with their value-for-money noodles. The char siew noodles are loaded with boiled wontons, fried wontons, char siew, and veg. But the mushroom pork rib noodles are the star. Instead of char siew, you get a good amount of super flavourful, super tender fall-off-the-bone pork ribs atop a good serving of noodles. How awesome is that? Tai Seng Noodle House #02-123, Amoy Street Food Centre Mon - Sat: 0930 - 1430 Closed on Sun

For Excellent Ondeh Ondeh & Tapioca CakeYou HAVE to go early to get your hands on their ondeh ondeh if you want to try it, because it sells out really quickly. And early means by lunch time at around 1230, which is a major bummer for those of us who are not early birds. Bite into the coconut-coated super soft ondeh ondeh and you get a burst of liquid gula melaka, which might tastes like liquid gold. They're handmade and addictive; it'll be surprising if you can stop at one. Their tapioca cake and muah chee (which is slightly different as they're filled with peanuts instead of coated) are superb as well. Xing Xing Tapioca Cake #01-31, Maxwell Food Centre Mon - Sat: 0800 - 1400 (Sold out before 1300) Closed on Sun

For One of the Best Chicken RiceTian Tian needs no introduction. Serving arguably the best chicken rice in Singapore, you'll never not see a queue at this stall. From the rice to the chilli, everything is worth raving about. The chicken, delightfully tender and juicy, sits atop a bed of perfectly cooked, fragrant rice. Have it with the ginger and chilli, with the latter getting its brightness from calimansi juice and not vinegar. Tian Tian truly captures what hawker food should be: cheap and so, darn, good. Even Gordon Ramsay can't beat it. Tian TIan Hainanese Chicken Rice #01-10/11 Maxwell Food Centre Tue - Sun: 1030 - 2000 Closed on Mon

For Rojak Worth Taking A Queue Number ForGood things come to those who wait. Especially when it comes to Old Airport Road's Toa Payoh Rojak. With more than 40 years of experience, they've mastered the art of making excellent rojak. The uncle attentively grills the yu char kueh to a crisp over charcoal, ensuring that you don't get soft, soggy pieces in your rojak. The combination of condiments is almost perfect, and the prawn paste they use is the star. Rojak is one of those dishes that you don't get bored of eating, because of the contrasting textures and flavours you get (sweet, sour, spicy, salty) with each bite. Toa Payoh Rojak #01-108, Old Airport Road Food Centre Mon - Sat: 1200 - 2000 Closed on Sun

For One of the Best Hokkien MeeThere are two kinds of people in life: those who like their hokkien mee wet, and those who prefer it dry. But Nam Sing may just please both crowds. Each spoonful brims with the aromatic, umami-rich prawn seafood stock that has been patiently fried with the noodles. Served simply with cut red chili, soy sauce, squeeze the lime all over to brighten up this dish, and slurp up this perfectly moist plate of noodles. Give them a ring before you go down, or count on your luck for them to be open, as they close the stall as they wish. Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee #01-32, Old Airport Road Food Centre Mon - Sun: 1100 - 1900 (or when sold out)

For Lor Mee With Superb GravyTrust the perpetual snaking queue at Xin Mei Xiang; a favourite among many. The rich, intense prawn-based gravy is just viscous enough to pleasantly coat the noodles without being cloying - add black vinegar to bring it to another level. The noodles are topped with the standard braised pork, ngoh hiang, egg and beansprouts, they also include fried snapper flakes that lend a great texture. The key here is patience, you'll get to the front of the queue eventually. Xin Mei Xiang Lor Mee #01-116, Old Airport Road Food Centre Tue - Wed, Fri - Sun: 0700 - 1400 Closed on Mon & Thu

For Deliciously Underrated Fishball NoodlesWhat makes Hui Ji's fishball noodles so good is their back to basics, rustic charm. At a mere $2.50 per bowl of handmade fishballs and noodles in delicious special sauce, it is undisputedly one of the most value-for-money hawker eats that provides both quantity and quality. Handmade fishballs. Addictively good chilli. Cripsy pork lard pieces. Need more convincing? Hui Ji Fishball Noodles and Yong Tau Foo #02-44, Tiong Bahru Market Thu - Tue: 0700 - 1400 Closed on Wed

For Pig's Armpit Char Siew NoodlesKnown for ridiculously flavourful and tender char siew because they use the armpit of the pig, this stall will leave you wanting second helpings. Nicely marbled and well marinated, the char siew sells out fast, and the best parts are obviously the charred bits. The noodles are thin, springy and tossed in slightly sweet and salty sauce. There are two types of char siew: Grade A & Grade B, but you gotta go early if you want the premium cut! Zhong Yu Yuan Wei Wonton Noodle #02-30, Tiong Bahru Market Sat - Thu: 0830 - 1400 (Sells out by around 1300) Closed on Fri

For Undeniably Good Chwee KuehTrademarks of good chwee kueh are the kueh, chye poh (preserved radish) and chilli. This simple dish can be hard to perfect but Jian Bo serves one of the best you can find. The kueh is smooth but still has a good bite to it, the chye poh is not overly salty, and the chilli is so very satisfying. It can get quite oily, but this dish is truly worth the calories once in a while, if the craving hits. Jian Bo Chwee Kueh #02-62, Tiong Bahru Market Mon - Sun: 0600 - 2230

For Curry Gravy Like No OtherWhen it comes to Heng Kee's curry mee, don't bother hesitating. Just throw that diet out the window and get in line for a bowl of their mouth-watering curry mee. Located on the first floor of Hong Lim Food Centre, Heng Kee delivers satisfyingly thick curry gravy that carries their signature taste from a priceless age-old recipe. Served with generous portions of tau pok, chicken, fish cake and potato, this bowl of goodness will leave you slurping up every last drop. Heng Kee Curry Mee #01-58, Hong Lim Food Centre Mon - Sat: 1030 - 1430 Closed on Sun

For Fruit Juice Mee SiamFruit juice mee siam sounds a little strange, but you'll be surprised to know that it works. Instead of tamarind juice, a mixture of several fruit juices is used in the gravy, adding a refreshing punch and lightening the dish. You get mee siam that's healthier, slightly sour and citrusy, and more tangy, making it less "jelat". For $6, you get poached crayfish on top of chicken, prawns, beansprouts, and an egg. Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa #02-66, Hong Lim Food Centre Mon - Sat: 1030 - 1830 Closed on Sun

For Soul-Soothing Pig's Organ SoupSoon Huat's pig's organ soup is a slightly cloudy bowl full of lean pork, pig's stomach, liver and intestines. Finished with salted vegetables and topped with parsley, this is a dish to soothe the soul. Even if you're not a fan of innards, you may still enjoy the broth and meat, just politely ask for them to be left out. The broth is addictive, which explains why people go back for refills. They also have sides like braised intestines, pig trotters, and pork belly. If you've never had any sort of pig's innards before, don't worry, just join the queue. Soon Huat Pig's Organ Soup #01-42, Serangoon Gardens Market and Food Centre Tue - Sun: 0930 - 1600 Closed on Mon

For Teochew Style Braised DuckSome say that this is the best braised duck you can find on this island. Braised in a salty, fragrant sauce for a sufficiently long period of time, the duck is able to soak up all that sauce, resulting in tender, moist, and flavourful meat. Ladle the sauce generously on your rice, and all you teochew ah hias will be pleased. Make sure you order classic sides like braised vegetables, pig's ear, and pig's tongue. You'll need to brave the queue for this one! Ah Seng Braised Duck Rice #01-44, Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre Tel: 6288 8880 Mon - Sat: 1100 - 2100 Closed on Sun

For Old School Buns & CakesThis bakery really takes you back to your childhood. Just like the good ol' days, these traditional buns are stuffed chockful of ingredients like otah, hae bee hiam, coconut, kaya, luncheon meat... The list is almost neverending. They do super simple banana and walnut cakes as well. The best way to enjoy these baked goods is fresh out of the oven, which is not that hard because the buns just keep flying off the shelves. The fact that people buy them by the box is testament to how good they are. Bonus points for cheap prices! Serangoon Gardens Bakery & Confectionery #01-45, Serangoon Garden Market and Food Centre Tue - Sun: 0730 - 1200 (or when sold out) Closed on Mon

For North Indian Briyani & NaanYou won't regret this choice if you love Indian food, a somewhat uncommon go-to cuisine in hawker centres. First, the queue piques your curiousity, but it's the smell that ultimately lands you in that very queue, and soon you're ordering chicken briyani with fresh tandoori chicken and spiced cabbage. The rice is light, and well-coated with flavour from chicken parts cooked with it, and the tandoori unexpectedly tender. Go for their fantastic fresh naan and curries if you don't feel like rice! Y.R.A North Indian Pakistani Food #01-12, ABC Brickworks Food Centre Mon - Sun: 1000 - 2130

For Roast Chicken & Duck RiceWhile the char siew is arguably much better over at the famous Fatty Cheong, Sin Heng Kee is the underdog of roast meats at ABC, quietly satisfying it's relatively shorter queue of loyal regulars. Go for their roast chicken and duck, and add sio bak if you're ravenous! Served over tasty chicken rice and drenched in light sauce with a side of chili, this is a sinful plate that will silence the table. Don't miss it. Sin Heng Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice #01-34, ABC Brickworks Food Centre Mon - Sun: 0900 - 2100